A reader posted a comment yesterday about the below 5 xbox Live Arcade games wanting to know why I was looking forward to them or thought they looked like promising titles. The fact that this comment came from a fellow game developer just made it so I couldn't refuse. So what makes these 5 games the most promising? Well first of all, most of the games are ORIGINAL games and new IPs made specifically for Live Arcade. I love getting a new game tailored to Xbox Arcade over a nostalgic rehash of an older game (unless it's castlevania SotN of course). It's more exciting to play a Brand New game than play one you played years ago. Most of these 5 games have these features, but let's delve into what makes some even more exciting than the others.

Castle Crashers- This game IS what Live Arcade should be about- taking old school gameplay (4 player Arcade beatemups) and fusing it with unique visuals, humor, and excellent animation. Watch this game in motion and tell me you don't want to play it with your friends. This game has the nostalgic classic pick up and play gameplay with updated visuals, new characters, etc. It's Golden Axe or Streets of Rage with online multiplayer and without the pixelated visuals of the 80s/90s...brilliant.

Band of Bugs- I'm mainly looking forward to this game because I have loved every NinjaBee game so far and don't see why the newest release wouldn't live up to my expectations. Ninjabee is really good at taking really complicated PC game genres and simplifing them into more enjoyable experiences that are easier to approach. Outpost Kaloki X is a simplified RTS, but still maintains depth in its gameplay. It's a tough balance and I think Ninjabee does it well. Band of Bugs looks to be better since it takes a genre I've always liked more than RTS's and simplifies it, and gives us a map editor and online multiplayer. I hope this one comes out soon.

Undertow- first off it is set in a future where Earth has been submerged by Water (hopefully that's where the similarities to 'Waterworld' end). It's offering a full campaign mode with co-op as well as intense multiplayer...so it's full featured just like many of the $60 games out there. Gameplay is Battlefield meets Geometry Wars. You move with one stick and shoot with the other, while you fight to capture control points. Plus the graphics look pretty good.

Eets- So these next 2 are lower on the list because they are not quite as unique. Eets is a port of a great Indie PC game so...I really wish I didn't get an error last night when I tried to download and play it. Hopefully, MS will have it all fixed up by this evening.

Wing Commander Arena- On paper this game had me really excited because it was Wing Commander! on Xbox with multiplayer. The video got me less excited because it looks like they're simplifying and messing with both the WC gameplay and graphics/view. We'll see, but it still remains an interesting and promising project.